Winners and Losers

Each week in Face Time, NJBIZ editors approximate Chris Christie's mood and facial expressions based on the news.

FACE TIME: AMBITIOUSOne of only points Barbara Buono has scored on Christie is his not-so-secret desire to run for president in 2016, ending what would be his second term early. Rather than shrink from that, Christie went all out last week, telling anyone who would listen that no Congress would dare shut down under President Christie.

WINNERS

Shaquille O'Neal

Anytime you act as a catalyst for residential development in Newark, it lands you in the winner's circle. Shaq is better known for league titles and broken backboards than his Newark birth, but in recent years, fewer builders have as many groundbreakings in the Brick City than he does.

Cordish Cos.

Speaking of groundbreakings, Bass Pro Shops has finally gotten its start along Cordish's The Walk in Atlantic City. If the project can be as transformational as the Margaritaville bar and restaurant, it would be a huge feather in the Boardwalk's cap — not to mention another steady source of nongaming revenue.

Steve Lonegan

Congrats to the onetime Bogota mayor for making his battle with Cory Booker a race, not a runaway, but he's still trailing badly — and didn't do himself any favors calling in Rick Perry to stump for him. Yes, Perry, who's best known for fumbling over which agencies he'd cut in a nationally televised debate.

LOSERS

Merck & Co.

The latest round of layoffs will cost 8,500 employees their jobs. Meanwhile, the town of Summit, which thought it was getting the global pharma company's headquarters, is suddenly out of a tenant, as a reduced headcount means the company can move its base to existing space in Kenilworth.

Employers

There's no sugarcoating the messy rollout that was the Affordable Care Act's health exchanges. Curious employers were unable to access the website on the rollout date, while the federal government shutdown furloughed resources that could have helped executives better understand the ACA.

Jets, Giants

A judge threw out the teams' request to dismiss the American Dream lawsuit, which accuses the Jets and Giants of working to delay the megamall's completion. Apparently, the teams' legal and courtroom strategizing is being drawn up by the same people who design the plays on the field, too.